Future with werden and present-tense alternatives

In brief

German can talk about the future with werden plus an infinitive, but the present tense is often more natural when a time expression makes the future meaning clear. Unlike English, German does not need a separate future form every time you say what will happen.

Form

Conjugate werden (ich werde, du wirst, er/sie/es wird, wir/sie/Sie werden, ihr werdet) and put the main verb in the infinitive at the end: Ich werde morgen arbeiten. Alternatively, use the present tense with a future time expression: Ich arbeite morgen.

Usage

• Use the present tense for plans or scheduled events when a word such as morgen or nächste Woche establishes the time.
• Use werden with an infinitive for a prediction or to emphasize that something will happen.

Examples

• Morgen fahre ich nach Berlin. — I’m going to Berlin tomorrow.
• Nächste Woche besuchen wir unsere Freunde. — We’re visiting our friends next week.
• Heute Abend wird es wahrscheinlich regnen. — It will probably rain this evening.
• Ich werde dich später anrufen. — I’ll call you later.

Common mistake

❌ Morgen ich werde dich anrufen.

✅ Morgen werde ich dich anrufen.

After Morgen at the start of a statement, the conjugated verb must come next; do not keep the English subject–verb order.

Remember

A future time expression often makes the present tense enough. With werden, the other verb stays in the infinitive at the end.